The district administration here on Tuesday sanctioned Rs 500 as old age pension per month to Mandodari, the widow of Raghu Nayak, who grappled with Nathuram Godse and pinned him down after Godse fired lethal shots at Mahatma Gandhi at Birla House in New Delhi at on January 30, 1948.
Mandodari also got Rs 30,000 from the Chief Minister Relief Fund. Notably, Raghu worked as a gardener at Birla House in New Delhi, the residence of Mahatma Gandhi at that time. Every day, Raghu used to serve goat milk to Mahatma, said Mandodari, who had spent many years with her spouse at Birla House. Mandodari said though she knocked all the doors for availing old age pension for long years, but in vain.
As a result, she had to struggle in the twilight of her life for eking her living by doing menial works and was staying at Jorala village with her daughter Basanti Mallick. Rajkanika BDO Basudev Mahari on Tuesday handed over Rs 30,500 to Mandodari.